What are Rhetorical Strategies?

What is

rhetoric

? And why bother studying it?

• “the art of effective expression (speaking & writing) and the persuasive use of language” • We study rhetoric because: – it helps us to better appreciate appeals to our ethos, pathos, & logos (more on this to come) – it helps us to become more effective persuasive speakers and writers

Examples?

• What are some of the techniques by which people use language persuasively?

• Jot these down in your notes

Maybe you named some of these examples:

• Formal diction leads readers/listeners to believe something is ethically or legally important • Emotional diction (sometimes called “sensationalism”) leads readers/listeners to recognize that ideas expressed are important to the writer/speaker • Allusion can associate a new idea to a traditionally respected source

Here is a real-life example of rhetoric in action…

• If you were trying to persuade a student to get to class on time, you might say, “it is WHS policy that students serve detention after three tardies”. What makes this statement effective?

• The statement sounds formal and authoritative!

Ethos, Pathos, Logos

• Greek philosopher Aristotle argued that there are three basic ways to persuade an audience that you are right.

Ethos

• Persuasive appeal of one’s character. Tells us that the author is reliable and competent • Example: “I am a father, a taxpayer, and have served you as senator for 20 years. I deserve your vote to continue my service.

AK Senator Hollis French

Pathos

• Appeal to emotion (of course, meant to evoke emotional response) • Example: “Imagine for a moment a tragic collision on the Parks Highway. A family is killed and many others are injured. The cause is determined to be frost heaves. We must use more state funds to pay for road improvements.”

Logos

• Appeal to reason (evokes a rational response) • Example: “Alaska’s roads are in a state of disrepair. Without quality roads, our transportation system will falter and hinder our economy. Hence, we must use more state funds to pay for road repairs.”

Rhetorical Strategies

• The strategies that follow are just some of the ways to make your writing/speaking more persuasive…

Parallel Structure

• Parallel Structure-repetition of grammatically similar words, phrases, clauses, or sentences to emphasize a point or stir the emotions of a reader/listener. Used to create a sense of rhythm, balance, and order in writing or speech.

– Chiasmus=“inverted parallelism” (i.e. eat to live, not live to eat)

Parallel Structure

The coach told the players: “

You will

get some sleep tonight,

you will

not eat too much right before the game, and

you will

do some warm up exercises before the game.”

Rhetorical Question

• Rhetorical Question-question not answered by writer b/c the answer is obvious or obviously desired. Used in persuasion to encourage the reader/listener to reflect on what the answer must be.

• “How much longer must our people endure this injustice?”

Allusion

• Short, informal reference to famous person, event, story. Relies on reader/listener to be familiar with the reference and hidden meaning. Used to stimulate ideas, associations, add extra information.

• If I want to persuade you to wash your hands, I may say “thou shalt wash thy hands”. I am trusting that you respect the commandments and, hence, my statement.

Analogy

• Comparison between two things that are alike in certain respects. Used in persuasion to demonstrate the logic of one idea by showing how it is similar to an accepted idea.

– (“Pupils are more like oysters than sausages. The job of teaching is not to stuff them and then seal them up, but to help them reveal the riches within.”-Sydney Harris)

Alliteration

• Repetition of initial consonant sounds. Used to call attention to a phrase and fixes it in the reader’s/listener’s mind.

• (i.e. “Let us go forth to lead the land we l ove.”- John F. Kennedy Inaugural speech)

Humor

• Humor can be used to make you like the writer/speaker and “win you over” – Hyperbole-exaggeration for emphasis/effect (“at night she needs a paint scraper to take off her makeup”) – Sarcasm (“Obama doesn’t have the experience of being Miss Wasilla!”) – Irony (verbal, situational, dramatic) (“it is ironic that the window store had all of its windows broken by vandals”) – Understatement (From Monty Python: Army officer loses a leg, “Stings a bit.”)

Audience

• When attempting to persuade, consider your audience. • For example, you would not use caustic satire to persuade a potential employer to hire you. • (“The food served here is great if you are a teenager with two dollars in your pocket.”)

Active Voice v. Passive Voice

• Active Voice- The boy hit the ball. The subject of this sentence actively hits the ball.

• Passive Voice- The ball was hit by the boy. The subject sits passively, doing nothing while some outside agent performs the action.

Here’s why it is better rhetoric to use active voice…

• Active voice sentences are shorter.

– The fighter punched Ali and dodged the uppercut. (Active= 8 words) – Ali was punched by the fighter, and then an uppercut was dodged by him. (Passive= 14 words)

Active sentences are clear and to the point

• When you use passive voice, you have to use boring phrases like “by so-and so” or leave this out and let your sentence become unclear.

– The airplane was flown to Bermuda (by the pilot).

– My car has been driven to Dallas. (By whom? A car thief? The teletubbies?)

To Identify the Evil Passive Voice

• Is there a form of the verb “to be” such as is/am/are/was/were/be/being/been? (Can’t create passive voice without this) • Could you insert “by so-and-so” after the verb? (the dog was fed (by the owner) • ID the subject and main verb. Is the subject “doing” the action? Or is it sitting passively?

QuickTime™ and a TIFF (U ncompressed) decompressor are needed to see this picture.

Use inside of box to ID rhetorical devices

• Metaphor • Symbolism • Rhetorical Questions • Emotionally “loaded words” (To advertise a new movie…”the most awe inspiring display of artistry ever presented on the big screen.”)